Sparks’ Streak Double Digits Now

The streaking Sparks reached the midway point of their 32-game WNBA season Wednesday night by registering their 10th consecutive victory, a 76-61 thumping of Sacramento.

Los Angeles, which stretched its record to 14-2, was 2-7 in Arco Arena and had lost to the Monarchs (11-6) here June 11, 75-68. The victory was gained with a major defensive effort, this time against a team that had won three in a row, 10 of its last 12, and had won seven in a row at home.

In the last 5 minutes 32 seconds, the Sparks went from a 60-58 lead to 76-61, sending hundreds in the crowd of 6,949 to the exits.

The Sparks’ 10 in a row is the WNBA’s second-longest win streak. The record is 15, set by Houston in 1998.

Coach Michael Cooper wouldn’t call Wednesday night’s defensive effort his team’s best, but it certainly appeared to rival the June 20 win over Houston.

“Our game plan was to affect their shot attempts,” he said.

“When we lost here, we gave their great shooters--Yolanda [Griffith], Kedra [Holland-Corn] and Ruthie [Bolton-Holifield]--too much room to operate. We tightened up considerably tonight. I think winning this game like this, it will make believers out of a lot of skeptics.”

Offensively, Los Angeles got major help from an unexpected source, DeLisha Milton.

Milton is considered one of the league’s best defenders--she guarded both Griffith (19 points) and Tangela Smith (nine points)--but the 6-foot-2 veteran from Florida has never frightened anyone with her offense.

Until Wednesday night.

Entering the game averaging 10.2, she scored eight of the Sparks’ first 10 points, had 14 by halftime and finished with 20 in 39 minutes.

And her career offensive game came on a perfect night.

Lisa Leslie, from whom the Sparks expect scoring, had a wretched shooting night, missing several open shots and scoring only 10 points on four-for-14 shooting.

“I don’t know what was wrong with my shot, but I just couldn’t let my whole game go because I wasn’t scoring,” said Leslie, who contributed with sound defense. “I don’t care if I get zero points, if we win. DeLisha and I tried to concentrate on boxing out Yo and Tangela, and I think we did that.”

Afterward, the always-smiling Milton sat on a pile of dirty warmup uniforms and talked about her scoring binge, featuring mid-range jump shots and soaring putbacks.

“I just took advantage of what they gave me, but I’d been trying to be more aggressive in the paint,” she said. “I think the fact I was able to do that will make us harder than ever to guard now.”

Mwadi Mabika was another offensive star. After a two-for-eight first half, she finished nine-for-18 for 23 points, including four-for-seven on three-point shots. She began the second half with a three-pointer and had 10 points in the first six minutes, helping lift Los Angeles to a 47-39 lead.

The Sparks’ lead was only 60-58 with 5:32 to go, but in the next 2 minutes 48 seconds, Ukari Figgs and Mabika both made three-point baskets, Mabika’s creating a 68-58 lead.

Notes

WNBA President Val Ackerman, a spectator here Wednesday night, said that the loss of Houston’s Cynthia Cooper to the league would be a “blow.” Cooper, 37, said Tuesday that this would be her last season. “What Cynthia has meant to this league can’t be measured,” Ackerman said. “She’s entwined with everything we are. No, I don’t plan to talk to her. That wouldn’t be my place. My guess is she’s already given this a lot of thought.”